WILMINGTON — Spring is coming, and around here that means Azalea’s — and beer.
Tickets are now on sale for the Wilmington Brewery Showcase, which is set to pour on Saturday, April 8, during the North Carolina Azalea Festival. The event is marketed as the only beer festival to exclusively feature craft beer brewed in this area. And, like the craft brewery market in Wilmington, the event is growing.
Jason Adams of Lighthouse Beer & Wine, which, along with Nest Realty is one of the event’s major sponsor, said this year will feature all 12 local craft breweries. Last year, the event featured the nectar of eight brewers.
“The Wilmington beer scene is growing by leaps and bounds, and we are very excited to be a part of it,” Adams said, noting Wilmington was recently named one of the best cities for beer lovers in the nation.
“We have sponsored the Carousel Center Beer and Wine Festival for 16 years,” Adams said. “This fall event features 100-plus breweries from around the country. On the other hand, the Wilmington Brewery Showcase only features local breweries from our area.”
Adams also expects the festival’s zeitgeist to grow too. Last year, the event sold out weeks ahead of time. With four more breweries to sample, he expects another sell out.
“With all of the added excitement in the beer world, we are certain tickets will sell out even faster this year,” Adams said.
According to event advertisements, only a limited number of tickets are available to ensure small lines for sampling and “plenty of room to take in the entire event.”
Things to know
Participating breweries:
Wilmington Brewing Company
Flytrap Brewing
Broomtail Craft Brewery
Ironclad Brewery
Check Six Brewing Company
Good Hops Brewing
Front Street Brewery
Waterline Brewing Company
New Anthem Beer Project
Bill’s Front Porch
Waterman’s Brewing Company
Wrightsville Beach Brewery
Location: Audi Cape Fear
Date/Time: Saturday, April 8 from 6 to 9 p.m.
Tickets: $30. Attendees must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets include unlimited sampling and a souvenir tasting glass.
Early bird tickets are available for $21 only on the Wilmington Save30 Store. (Note: Save30 is also owned and operated by Local Voice Media).
Designated Driver tickets will be made available at a later date.
Music: will be provided by Wilmington-based band L Shape Lot.
Sponsors: Lighthouse Beer & Wine, 98.3 The Penguin, Nest Realty and Audi Cape Fear (Note: 98.3 FM the Penguin is the sister station of Port City Daily, of Local Voice Media).
